


Message Received

by jalousied



Category: Japanese Actor RPF
Genre: First Dates, M/M, with the special participation of Subaru probably
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2017-02-22
Packaged: 2018-09-26 05:25:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9864860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jalousied/pseuds/jalousied
Summary: Ren finally, finally manages to invite Takuma out for dinner. But just when he thinks he's doing pretty well despite being super nervous, he does something that might jeopardize the dinner—and Takuma's impression of him—for good.Actually I just want to write about them going to that dinner that is taking months to plan. Sigh.





	

Ren couldn't keep still. He tried placing his hands on his lap, but he just couldn't. stop. fidgeting. Even when the menu came, he flipped the pages repeatedly, trying to read the menu yet not registering anything in his mind. _Calm down!_ he scolded himself as he took a deep breath.  
  
He surreptitiously glanced across the table, a bit glad for the tall menu blocking his view. Yet before he could glance away, the menu fell back to the table, and he met eyes with the man across him. His dinner mate. His date.  
  
Ren hurriedly took a sip—a swig of water. He spluttered and coughed as some of the water threatened to pour into his lungs.  
  
"What's up with you?" jolly-to-the-point-of-annoying laughter rang around them.  
  
Ren pouted and went back to his futile attempt of reading the menu. "Shut up, Wada Takuma," he muttered under his breath. The menu was a blur to him and he only remembered how many side dishes were made of corn.  
  
"Well, I wouldn't be noisy if Ozawa Ren- _sama_ would hasten his menu searching," Takuma answered in a mocking tone as he rested his chin on a hand.  
  
At this point, Ren knew that his normal self would be acting annoyed and starting banter with Takuma. But he wasn't normal today. He was so nervous he could almost feel his chair sinking into the floor and taking him with it. His heart was ramming against his ribcage, and he couldn't feel his knees, and all the water he drank felt like they're sloshing in his stomach.  
  
But no, he shouldn't be like this! Not after all the effort he spent just to invite Takuma to dinner.  
  
  
  
"You should just send me a mail if you want to go out!" Takuma once told him, yet he didn't even have an inkling how difficult it was for Ren to actually type a good message to calmly ask him out. He couldn't even bring his fingers to type on his phone that he had to ask Subaru to send the message for him.  
  
_/Yo, asshole! Wanna have dinner tomorrow?/_ was what Subaru sent. Ren wanted to die.  
  
But Takuma just sent a _/LOL, what time?/_ in his reply, so maybe Subaru knew what he was doing.  
  
Maybe.  
  
Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to try.  
  
"So, you finally asked me out on a date? About time," Takuma chuckled as he wrapped an arm around Ren's shoulder and ushered him to the restaurant.  
  
Ren wished the earth could swallow him up instead of making him regret his decision.  
  
  
  
  
He woke up from his stupor when Takuma called an attendant. "I'll have set C but with rice instead of the salad. And an Asahi." He then turned to Ren. "How about you, baby?"  
  
Ren buried his face into the menu, ignoring the way the waitress' eyebrows shot up and the wide grin Takuma was sporting on his face. "I'll have the same, thank you," he muttered into the menu. He had to repeat it a couple of times because his voice was muffled by cardboard, but thankfully, the waitress graciously plucked the menu from their hands and promised the prompt delivery of their food.  
  
"How's work?" Takuma asked as he sipped some tea. Somehow he managed to make everything so casual while Ren was so sure half of his body was melting in embarrassment.  
  
"It's okay," Ren managed to croak. "It's okay," he repeated, louder. "The drama filming keeps me busy and I still have to rehearse for a new stage, but I like being busy."  
  
Takuma nodded. "Well, you always shine when you're trying your best doing many things."  
  
Ren froze.  
  
"I'm doing another stage, too. So I know the rehearsals conflicting with other projects can be too hectic," Takuma continued as if he just didn't say something that made the entirety of Japan freeze over.  
  
"You're in demand, what a popular man," Ren awkwardly joked, cringing at the expected tepid reaction.  
  
However, Takuma laughed out loud instead and pointed to him. "You're the one with a photobook and fan events and a drama on TV, so who is popular now?"  
  
"How did you know I had a photobook and a fan event?" Ren wondered out loud.  
  
The waitress came back with their beer and Takuma thankfully sipped his. "You're not the only one stalking people's online accounts, you know," he softly said after drinking, his eyes trained on the bubbles frothing on top of his glass.  
  
There was a bit of silence as Ren digested what Takuma said, feeling his heart thump harder every time he tried to think of an answer. In good timing, their food arrived, and Ren kept himself busy with his plate while spouting random questions and answers at Takuma.  
  
"See, this is why you can't invite anyone out to dinner," Takuma said as he tried to stop himself from laughing too much.  
  
"What?! Why?!" Ren demanded, waving his steak knife at the other man. "I can invite anyone I want! I'm a social butterfly!"  
  
Takuma scoffed. "Sure you are. But you're scaring people with your barrage of questions. Do you make a list of questions before going out to eat with people or what?!"  
  
"Hey!" Ren exclaimed. "I'm just trying to lighten up the mood here!"  
  
Takuma nodded, despite laughing. "Okay, fine. Fine. My favorite Daiya no A character is Miyuki."  
  
"I said aside from Miyuki, okay!"  
  
"I like Tetsu-san."  
  
"You're lying."  
  
"You just want me to say Sawamura, don't you?"  
  
"I...well..."  
  
"See?"  
  
There were more exclamations and laughter, and Ren felt like this dinner wasn't so bad after all. 

  
  
  
_/This is Ren._  
_Dinner went better than expected!_  
_Oh my god, Subaru. I can't believe it._  
_He annoys me so much but he's so amazing._  
_And somehow I made him laugh a lot??_  
_What do I do? I don't want this to end yet._  
_What if I can't invite him again later? :(_  
_This is Ren btw./_  
  
Ren excitedly typed his message to Subaru as he leaned against the tiles of the restroom. He felt good. He felt that it was a lovely dinner and that Takuma enjoyed himself, too. But he wasn't sure if it could happen again. What if Takuma was just being polite as it's their first dinner? What if he was actually so bored? What if he declines future invitations? Despite the fluffy feeling, Ren wasn't exactly comforted yet.  
  
He jumped when the door to the restroom opened and someone else came in. He hurriedly sent the message to Subaru--he couldn't keep Takuma waiting. Every minute was precious and soon the night will end. In his hurry, he decided to just copy-paste Subaru's number instead of finding their conversation thread. As soon as he pasted the number, he clicked send.  
  
It was then that Ren's nightmare started.  
  
  


  
Takuma looked confused when Ren came back with his head down. "What's wrong?" he asked when Ren sat down and covered his face with his hands. "Do you feel sick?"  
  
Ren wanted to die. Takuma was still nice about everything. He removed his hands from his face (his face probably so red) and tried to look straight into Takuma's eyes. "I'm sorry."  
  
Takuma blinked. "What for?"  
  
"I'm just..." Ren realized that Takuma didn't know anything yet. But it wasn't like he can redeem himself at this point. "I...accidentally sent a message to your phone that was meant for Subaru."  
  
"Okay?" Takuma peered into Ren's eyes, probably puzzled about why Ren kept stammering and sighing. "Why do you look so crestfallen? Did you send him some weird porn and I'm about to see it?"  
  
"What? No!" Ren exclaimed. "It's just...the message is about you." He finally blurted it out. He covered his face once more. "I didn't mean it! I missed copying Subaru's number and forgot that I copied your number before that. I'm sorry!"  
  
Takuma was quiet for a while, a bemused expression on his face. Ren steeled himself for any insult or scolding or comment he would say. But instead of saying anything, Takuma pulled out his phone and handed it to Ren. "Well, if it's not for me, do you want to delete it before I read it?"  
  
Ren looked up in surprise. "What?"  
  
"You can delete it so I won't be able to read anything." Takuma shrugged. "I don't think it's a big deal since we had a nice dinner together. I don't feel like you'd be badmouthing me..."  
  
"I wouldn't do that!" Ren said. "I mean...why would I badmouth you..."  
  
Takuma smiled and slid his phone towards Ren. "That's all I want to know. So feel free to do whatever you want with your message."  
  
Ren looked at Takuma's phone. The notification light was blinking and he knew it was because of his message. If he deleted the message now, he would be relieved that Takuma wouldn't be able to read his gushing. But if he deleted it, that would probably bother them all night, and this 'date', or whatever Takuma wanted to call it, would probably not happen again. Either way, it would seem that Ren was sneakily texting Subaru, and it left a bad taste in his mouth.  
  
After a while, Ren slid the phone back towards its owner, who blinked in surprise. "It doesn't feel right," he admitted. "I don't want things to be awkward between us because I was sneakingly texting someone about you. It's my mistake, so you can read it." He let go of the phone, letting his fingers hover over it.  
  
Takuma reached out and touched the surface of his phone, his fingers lightly touching Ren's. "Are you sure?"  
  
Ren exhaled what felt like breath he was holding in for hours. "Sure."  
  
He wrung his hands as he watched Takuma read his missent message. A brow raise, a bit of crease in his forehead, a swallow, and a hint of a smile. And then nothing else. Ren wondered what was going on in Takuma's head. He was probably disgusted with the way Ren was blabbering about him. Maybe he felt like Ren misunderstood his politeness.  
  
Takuma looked up, and Ren smiled weakly as he slid deeper into his seat.  
  
"That was..." Ren held his breath as Takuma spoke. "That was really nice to read."  
  
The fists clenched on Ren's lap unclenched themselves as he looked at Takuma in surprise. "R-really?"  
  
The older man chuckled. "Yeah, I'm quite flattered, actually."  
  
Ren clasped his hands together on the table. "So...well, I'm just...you know..." he trailed off. What was he supposed to say after this? He could feel himself cringing at his own ineptness. "Ugh, I'm sure you're weirded out. I mean, I do think you're remarkable and it was fun eating with you but I'm scared it won't happen again."  
  
"We can go out again."  
  
"...I mean you know how much I sucked at inviting you and I had nightmares about how bad this dinner will go and I'm so relieved that it went really well and I was probably having my hopes up but..."  
  
"I want to go out again, too."  
  
"...Somehow, I don't have anyone to share my worries since I definitely cannot share them with you so I had to text Subaru to ask for his advice because you know he's kind of amazing at thinking of solutions and he kind of takes care of me somet--"  
  
Ren let out a muffled groan of surprise as he felt hands cradling his face, pressing his cheeks a little too hard. "Hwuh?!"  
  
"See, this is why you can't invite people to dinner," Takuma started scolding him again. Ren tried to open his mouth for a retort but Takuma shushed him. "I said, I'd love to go out again with you. It was fun and I enjoyed it, truly."  
  
Ren stared at the smiling face before him. He tried speaking but Takuma shut him up by pressing his cheeks more.  
  
"Also, I don't mind you talking to others about me. That's what people do, right? I was more worried that you're bored enough to text another guy. And even praise him when you're with another." Takuma's voice had a hint of bitterness that Ren probably just imagined. "You know you don't talk about other guys when you're on a date with one?"  
  
"I...I wasn't..." Ren manage to say as Takuma let him go. "I'm sorry. I was scared you didn't enjoy the dinner and would not say yes next time."  
  
Takuma had an incredulous look on his face. "I already told you what I thought. What should I do next to convince you? Should I kiss you?"  
  
Ren sputtered. "What! Y-you don't do that on the first date!" he blurted out, making Takuma throw his head back and laugh.  
  
"Well," Takuma said, leaning closer towards Ren's face until their noses were inches apart. "If you want the kiss, you have to take me out on more dates, then."  
  
Heat rushed to Ren's face as Takuma laughed some more. As Ren tried to reason out with Takuma and end their dinner in another debate, their phones were forgotten in their pockets, both notification lights blinking as they received messages.  
  
  
_Subaru:_  
_Dude, don't text me stuff like this I'm not your diary._  
_And I know you're Ren, dammit!_  
  
  
_Chantomo:_  
_So...why are you telling me all of this about Ren?_  
_You do know I'll tell him that eventually, right?_  
  
  
  
  
**END**  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this under an hour, sorry for any mistakes.  
> This is for Dee and Lene.  
> And please save me from WadaRen, I cannot anymore ;;;;;;;


End file.
